The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-25
THE NEW DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
DR.. Falligant Answers Some Objec-
tiOnS to HIS Plan.

tons to HIS Plan.
DIR. Falligant's proposed system of house
drainage seems to be meeting with the APP
proval not only of sanitarians but of every
one who is conversant with such matters.
In general conversation yesterday the
doctor said that he would like to answer
some imaginary objections which had been
raised to the system which he proposed.
One objection is that the stand-pipe pressure
might possibly be too great for the safety
of the pipe at the lead of the lane sewers at
West Broad street. There are" he SAID,
supposed to be openings in the central lane
pipe every 15to 30 feet for house connections,
besides the man-holes every block or two,
each of which openings relieve the pressure,
in addition to the general relief obtained by
the downhow of the flush current: SO
that. in my judgment, there IS
about as much danger to the pipe from the
standplpe pressure as there would De 10
mans toe by his kicking the atmosphere;
besides, this pressure can easily be controlled
by the valve.
"A second objection suggested to me is that
SO great flush current might, III case OF de-
fective joints, cause wash-out under the
pipe Certainly my system is not response
BILE for defective joints. presume the work
will be properly done. But what we want
above everything else is good flush current
that will cleanse these house drains beyond
any peradventure, and my plans provide IT.
On this point we cannot afford to take any
risks
"A third objection suggested" said DR..
Falligant, lis that in some places the
house connection would have to be carried
eight to ten fee0 below the surface. SO
much the better for the house drain, since
the greater incline from the closet lnsures
a more certain carriage of the contents OF
the house drain into the flushed central lane
sewer, where their further downtiow is
made certain by the flush current.
Another possible contingency presented
TO me was that the quantity of water neces-
safy for flushing purposes might draw TOO
heavily on our artesian supply. do not
propose to draw on the arteslan system at
ell The city now owns a couple OF fine
pumps already paid for, which cost them
about $4,000, and are now laid by because
of insufficient capacity for general uses. l
propose to make use of the pumps to pump
the Savannah river water into the reservoir
or standpipe, and use that Inexhaustlole
supply for flushing purposes"
"Have you ever made any calculation as to
the length of time the flush current would
take to run from West Broad street TO East
Broad street," the doctor was asked.
Eyes; by the ordinary law of downfiow
by gradefall it would take about twenty
minutes. but when the impetus of the stand
easily be reduced to less than one-half, be
sides securing greater cleansing power by
reason of the Increased force of the current.
One immense advantage of my proposed
system seems to have been entirely
overlooked. Each pipe running from
West Broad to East Broad
street is complete thing or system in
itself, and any trouble occurring in its use
fitness by reason of accidental obstruction
OF needed repairs, or work of any kind
along its lines, does not involve any other
lane sewer, or necessitate interference with
the usefulness of any other sewer whilst
work is being done on the one involved
$4,000 to 800, 900 more to be saved to the
real estate owners"
How is thatF
"You will be surprised when tell you
that although ! have just shown you how
to make those $4,000 invested in idle
pumps come into active usefulness, | will
also exhibit where another saving of over
$4,000, indeed, over 100000, when you
come to consider the new extension and the
portions of the city outside of East and West
Broad streets, ought to be made by the
property owners. The law of the State
authorizes the Mayor and Aldermen
to lay down these pipes and
charge them to the lot own
ers pro rata by frontage--that is
what the law allows. Now when you go to
the Clerks Office to get permit for sewer
connection you are made to pay Sl4 extra
in each case, which the law does not allow.
But the Council want more money to spend,
and that is one of their sideshows by means
of which the shel1els are raked in. Have
you ever figm ed up what that plumber
amounts to in a city"
"Nom
well, I'll tell you. Between Bay and
Anderson, and between East Broad and
4 = 70, 1,n
tween $4,000 and 100000 to which the
city has not a shadow of legal claim, 900
or more houses, that is 5000 or
more permits for house connections,
at S14 each, aggregate $4,000 or
more for the district mentioned. Real
estate already bears the burdens of the great
loss ON the Atlantic and Gulf railway, al
though commerce and bondholders) enjoy
its profitsl Real estate built the great sew
ers and will have to build the lesser onesl
Real estate is expected to pay for roadways
along which commerce land funeralsl may
drive in comfort! Real estate not only built
the water works and paid for its idle pumps,
but is expected to bring clean water into
the city and carry foul water out Real
estate pays the scavenger department about
$4,000 to carry garbage out, that com
merce may smell sweet odorS along her
golden pathway Now, for Gods sake,
can't real estate, owning her own ducts let
her waste secretions run out of them
without unnecessary suffering and
without contributing out of her
woes and cramps TO the general
extravaganza | see money spent like water
for other things not half so much needed
as good house drainage; and am led to re-
call tine philosophy of the darkey during the
war; who was told of the honor and glory
to be won for his country by fighting and
dying in the front rank, but who naively re-
piled, Boss, what am de country to me
when | am deadm What will all these pro
jected improvements be to us if we neglect
TO take care of that precious life of ours for
which all things else were made, and to the
enjoyment, and Improvement and prolon-
cation of which all things else should be
subsidiary"
well, how about the sewer pipes"
well, most pipes are laid down witt
lateral openings for bousedrainage connec
tions-the theory being that the flush cur
rent along the central pipe and the outpoul
from the house drains both flow at once like
the ebb-tide of river with the uniting
streams from the lateral creeks. Now, IN
fact, the flush current works like the food
tide which eddies into the lateral creeks; 81
that when you pour your flush cur
rent down pipe every empty
lateral pipe is a point of eddy or out
flow operating more or less injuriously t
rhe extent of its lateral level or grade. he
cause inst so much water backs into IL from